ABU DHABI // Albie Sachs, who was appointed by Nelson Mandela to South Africa’s Constitutional Court, was visiting Abu Dhabi when he heard the news that the former South African president had died.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time now and, when it came, it was kind of a shock,” said Mr Sachs, a comrade of Mandela’s during the struggle against apartheid.
“Mandela was part of the generation of wonderful African leaders.”
Back in 1952, Mr Sachs, who will speak tonight at the InterContinental Hotel, was a second-year law student and part of the “black movement”, of which Mandela was the volunteering chief.
“He was like my leader,” he said. “He wasn’t well known then but he was very important. He wasn’t just a lawyer who defended people but he defended justice.”
He said Albert Luthuli, Oliver Tambo, Desmond Tutu and Mandela made up an important culture in South Africa.
“With four fantastic figures like that, it’s not just brilliant individuals, it’s a culture,” he said.
“Mandela embodied that culture more beautifully than anybody else.
“He didn’t create the process of the new South Africa, he led it. It’s a culture of millions and they articulated it.” Mr Sachs said the struggle against apartheid was one of decades and Mandela emerged as the most outstanding personality in that struggle.
“He provided particularly dignified and refined leadership,” he said.
“He will be remembered as the person who knew when it was right to be a soldier, when it was right to be a negotiator, and when it was right to be a president.
“He was willing to fight, to give his life and his liberty at the same time. He always believed in talking and negotiations and he was a great healer as well as a person who made everybody feel welcome and everybody worth listening to.”
Nahtam, an Abu Dhabi-based humanitarian organisation, was chosen by Mandela through the UN to get people involved in community work.
“It was his wish and we took up the initiative in the UAE,” said George Itty, Nahtam’s chief executive. “We were supposed to meet him six months ago but he got very sick.”
The organisation published a book of inspiring stories to celebrate Mandela’s work two years ago.
“This book has been translated into Arabic,” said Mr Itty. “We were supposed to take it to Mandela but, instead, we will inaugurate it here in Abu Dhabi.”
Mr Sachs’s lecture, Fifty years With Mandela: From Lawbreaker to Lawmaker, is at the InterContinental Hotel from 6.30pm to 8pm.
cmalek@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
SPECS
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The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Fast%20X
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
HAJJAN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Abu%20Bakr%20Shawky%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3EStarring%3A%20Omar%20Alatawi%2C%20Tulin%20Essam%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al-Hasawi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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